Roy Wood Jr., Brett Gray, Punkie Johnson, and E.J. Bonilla have officially joined the cast as series regulars in the upcoming TV adaptation of Barbershop. They’ll star opposite Jermaine Fowler, who leads the comedy as Travis “Trav” Porter.
The series, which reimagines the world of Calvin’s Barbershop for the streaming era, follows Trav as he attempts to live up to the legacy of his grandfather—a legendary barber whose chair at Calvin’s once anchored the shop’s entire community. And while the barbers may be new, the spirit of Calvin’s is far from changing: the debates stay heated, the laughter stays loud, and the fades remain elite. Because at Calvin’s, the cut is just the beginning.
Meet the New Barbers of Calvin’s
- Roy Wood Jr. plays Robert, an ex-con turned barber finding his footing as he reintegrates into the community.
- Punkie Johnson stars as Stella, a sharp-tongued, no-nonsense barber who’s not entirely sold on Travis returning to take up his grandfather’s position.
- Brett Gray plays Kofi, a flamboyant, outspoken barber adding flair—and opinions—to Calvin’s daily chaos.
- E.J. Bonilla steps in as Fernan, a Bronx-born barber who quickly becomes Travis’ ally.
Behind the Clippers
The series is written and executive produced by Marshall Todd, co-writer of the original 2002 Barbershop film. He shares showrunning duties with Max Searle (Dave, The Sex Lives of College Girls).
Executive producers include:
- Kevin Hart, Bryan Smiley, and Mike Stein for Hartbeat
- Bradley Gardner, Cameron Burnett, and Autumn Bailey-Ford for Prominent Productions
- Tiffany Brown (co-executive producer)
- State Street Pictures
The series hails from Amazon MGM Studios.
Amazon MGM Studios’ head of television Vernon Sanders said earlier, “We are thrilled to announce a new series based on the hilarious and innovative world of Barbershop for our global Prime Video customers.”
A Franchise with Legacy
The Barbershop franchise—launched in 2002 with Ice Cube starring as Calvin—became a cultural staple by capturing the humor, heart, and communal energy of Black barbershop culture. It spawned Barbershop 2, Barbershop: The Next Cut, and the Queen Latifah-led Beauty Shop. Collectively, the films grossed over $235M worldwide.
This isn’t the franchise’s first TV attempt. Showtime tried a sitcom adaptation in 2005 starring Omar Gooding, though it only lasted one season. Now, nearly 20 years later, Prime Video is giving the world of Calvin’s a true streaming reboot—with a new ensemble and a fresh generation of storytelling.
Barbershop is one of several MGM properties being revitalized following Amazon’s major acquisition, joining projects like the Legally Blonde prequel Elle and a new Tomb Raider drama.
Calvin’s is officially back—and Prime Video is lining up the perfect squad to make the chairs spin again.